Historic Native American paintings, sketches for sale; collection appraised at $3.8 million

GREAT FALLS, Mont. – A large collection of paintings, photos and sketches that includes images of survivors of the Battle of the Little Bighorn is for sale.

The Wrangler Gallery in Great Falls, Mont., is seeking a buyer for the 122-piece David Humphreys Miller collection. Gallery owner Brad Hamlett tells the Great Falls Tribune (http://gftrib.com/1ihqmq0 ) the collection recently was appraised at about $3.8 million.

Hamlett says the collection belongs in a museum, but officials with the Montana Museum of Art and Culture at the University of Montana and with the Montana Historical Society say they don’t have the money to acquire it.

The collection includes more than 50 sketches of survivors from the Battle of the Little Big Horn and photos from various Western movies that Miller worked on.